Scarecrows Walk Among Us as 'Sister Boniface' Tackles "A Murder of Crows"

Sister Boniface Mysteries Season 4's second episode chronicles Great Slaughter’s absurd and sinister Scarecrow Festival. Relative newcomer Felix Livingstone finds the equally beloved and reviled Festival one of the Great Slaughter traditions that is absolutely bewildering. Alan Yarrow (Ben Rufus Green), ostensibly in charge, clutches a clipboard, but defers to Chief Constable Hector Lowsley (Robert Daws), who “volunteers” both Felix and Constable Peggy Button to work on decorations and crowd control. Reporter Norman Whalley finds the scarecrows horrific, particularly when one appears to come to life, but it’s only scruffy, straw-strewn villager Tom Thomas (David Sterne).

DS Felix Livingstone: “People keep telling me this festival is meant to be bringing you all together, but it seems to be doing the opposite.”

Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately), there’s a possibility that this year’s Festival may be its last, despite its fundraising potential. The participants are warned that any form of violence, including scarecrow sabotage, fighting, kicking, punching, or biting, will not be tolerated. Last year’s Festival, it appears, was particularly violent.